I really enjoyed this movie. Right from the get go there’s action, drama, awesome special effects and of course King Kong. Previous King Kong films have always waited to show King Kong fully until at least the middle of the film. They would hint at the idea of him by showing an arm, his shadow, the sound of his roar, etc. Not this film. No sir, we see him in all his glory pretty much from the first moment. I think this is because the special effects have advanced so much in the past few years it’s easier to create Kong and have him look real. And boy does he look real! The special effects in this film are very, very good. Not only is Kong amazingly realistic (you honestly don’t question that he is real) but so are all the other elements of this primitive island.

The CGI and special effects are so good, that it all does seem very real. I’ve been getting a bit sick of all the “amazing” special effects in later films that are so “good” that the actors and props end up looking completely animated. Do you know what I’m talking about?

This movie only had a couple of those moments where you’re like “oh, that didn’t look quite real”. (Kong fighting a giant squid was one of those moments for me). Overall though, I felt captivated and completely drawn into this world which is EXACTLY what I want, love and hope for when I go and watch a movie.

The acting in this movie helped captivate me as well. Everyone plays their characters so well that you see their character and not the actor which is again, exactly what we want. It’s a star studded cast and honestly I’ll watch anything with Tom Hiddleston. I think he is one of the BEST actors out there and not only that but he is so dreamy! *Sigh*. #TeamTomHiddlestonForTheNextJamesBond

The movie is set in the 1960’s and the soundtrack matches that decade brilliantly. We get awesome music – think David Bowie, Black Sabbath, Credence Clearwater Revival – that not only fits with the era but also fits with the whole vibe of the movie. You know I love the right music pairings with movies so this gets a big tick in my books.

This is a standalone King Kong movie and doesn’t tie in with the original story. For one thing the original story is set in the 1930’s and Kong was introduced to the world then but in this film they are just discovering him. Call me a traditionalist but I do love the original (especially Peter Jackson’s 2005 film). Although the story line is a little less believable (an ape falling in love with an actress), it’s still a classic. I do wish they had somehow tied them together in some way. But that’s just my thoughts.

I would say this movie compared to the original story is more realistic and far more brutal. Right from the beginning people were dying and being killed in pretty brutal ways which is far more realistic and again just added to the whole feel of the film and helped draw me completely into this world.

I heard somewhere that there is a theory about Jurassic Park and King Kong being part of the same world? I’m not sure if this is confirmed or what but I do hope so. King Kong and Jurassic Park cross over anyone?